Q&A for How to Pronounce the Fear of Long Words

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Why do people get scared of long words?

Community Answer

People have all different kinds of phobias (fears), some more unusual than others. There's really no explaining why it happens, people are just born that way.

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Question

How do I stop being scared of long words?

Community Answer

You could start with smaller words and slowly get into bigger words.

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Question

Why are people scared of long words?

Community Answer

It depends for different people, because some may just not know the words while others may be legitimately intimidated by the words for several different reasons.

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Question

Why is it such a long word if it's for people who are afraid of long words?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

Though many phobias are quite real, this phobia is more a humorous human invention than a real diagnosis.

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Question

How do I pronounce lilapsaphobia?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

/lai-lap-sa-'pho-bi-a/

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Question

When I say the word, is it better to start slow or fast?

Community Answer

It's always better to start out slow and gradually get faster. Take the word one small piece at a time, just like how they recommend in the article.

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Question

Why is a fear of long words so long? Won't the person afraid of it be afraid of even saying the word?

Ruby

Top Answerer

The origins of the word for fear of long words was actually a joke. It was made ironically.

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Question

How is someone afraid of big words? What happens if someone says a big word?

Community Answer

No one is truly sure why any phobia exists, they have just happened over time, and no one can truly explain why they are scared of something either. How someone will react to a longer word will depend on the severity of the phobia in the person and the person themselves. Some people may react with a more despondent disposition, with their emotions just being negative about the word, while others could be sent into a state of panic and hysteria, it truly depends on the person.

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Question

So if people are afraid of long words then wouldn't they be afraid of their diagnosis?

Community Answer

Sadly, people who have a major fear of long words (hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia) are too scared of it, that they can't even say what they are afraid of. It makes it seem that the person who created to word hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, created it as a joke.

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Question

Who named this phobia this way? Is s/he a troll? Did they do it on purpose? Did they hate people with these phobia?

Community Answer

The phobia was named mostly as a joke, the fear of long words being the second longest word in American English. I am not sure if it was just a singular person how came up with it, but it is safe to assume it was just meant as a joke and they are not a troll. They did do it on purpose for the sake of irony, the fear of long words being a very long word, and whoever came up with it probably thought it was funny. I am sure they do not hate people with the phobia and it was made as a joke without the person/people realizing the severity of the phobia or how rude it could be to people affected by it.

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Question

What does being scared of long words feel like?

Iris8989

Community Answer

If someone says a long word or the person with the phobia attempts to say one, the person with the fear might experience a panic attack. This can mean: Shortness of breath, heart racing, sweating, stomach discomfort, and excessive anxiety, as these are all symptoms of panic attacks. It's like any other phobia (e.g. fear of heights, fear of doctors, fear of disease, fear of injections, fear of spiders, fear of snakes, fear of death, fear of belly buttons) except that they get panic attacks when they hear or try to say a long word.

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